


Game Night

by nanifairy (ktwrites1530)



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Maybe domestic fluff, Office Romance, donghwan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21909484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ktwrites1530/pseuds/nanifairy
Summary: Donghyuk and Jinhwan work together... one game night, things changed.
Relationships: Kim Donghyuk/Kim Jinhwan
Comments: 4
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

“Hyung, thank you so much for inviting us!”

Jinhwan smiled at his teammates, whom he had invited to his house for a game night. Donghyuk was saving to purchase a house, and had asked for a more budget-friendly team bonding night. Their two other teammates, Chanwoo and Yunhyeong, relented, so Jinhwan had volunteered his place.

Chanwoo and Yunhyeong were getting their stuff and were ready to leave, but Donghyuk was still fixing the board games that he had brought. After that he turned to the unwashed dishes, getting some exchange of glances between the waiting Yunhyeong and Chanwoo. 

_ Well, if they helped Donghyukkie, then maybe all of them would've left by now,  _ thought Jinhwan.  _ See this is why my team has failing marks on teamwork. And why is Donghyuk dilly-dallying anyway?  _

“Donghyuk, I got this, you can go back with the two,” Jinhwan said, reaching for the soapy sponge in Donghyuk's hand, but Donghyuk drew it back quickly, splashing some water and soap on Jinhwan's face. 

“Oh God, hyung! I am sorry!” he said, quickly rinsing his hands with the water and then reaching for Jinhwan. He pulled Jinhwan close to him, their faces mere centimeters apart.

Jinhwan's breath hitched in his throat. “It—it's okay,” he whispered, his voice coming out hoarse. He couldn't move, immobilized with the way Donghyuk was gazing at him and the soft smile that he had on his face. 

“I am sorry,” Donghyuk said again, close enough that his breath warmed Jinhwan's face. He momentarily broke his gaze from Jinhwan, turning to get the roll of paper towels. He grabbed a piece of it and gently dabbed it on Jinhwan's face, a slight frown creasing his forehead, concentrating as he cleaned Jinhwan's face. Jinhwan, trapped, had no choice but to stare at Donghyuk while he was drying his face, and he thought,  _ Well, this isn't that bad.  _

Jinhwan cleared his throat, kicking that thought out of his head, sliding out of the bubble that Donghyuk had made for the two of them. He chastised himself— _ he is your junior, your subordinate! _ —and then cast a panicked look towards the other two people waiting. 

Yunhyeong and Chanwoo immediately dropped their gazes, but Jinhwan caught the mischievous grin on Chanwoo's face. He cleared his throat again, his heart beating fast in his chest, and he was sweating bullets. 

“Thanks for coming, guys. I'll take you down to the lobby,” Jinhwan said, cussing inwardly when his voice came out in a squeak. “Donghyuk, you can leave that. I can take care of it.”

“It's fine, hyung. The two can go ahead. I'll finish here,” Donghyuk said, which made Jinhwan want to scream.  _ WHAT ARE YOU DOING?  _ he wanted to ask, but he decided to ask the questions later as their other two teammates were waiting. 

Jinhwan grabbed his keys, ready to escort Yunhyeong and Chanwoo downstairs. The trip in the lift was quiet, as if the two other guys were giving him time to process what had just happened. 

Jinhwan bade goodbye to the two, telling them he'll see them on Monday, and lingered at the lobby. He didn't want to go back to his house, because Donghyuk was there and he was acting weird. 

_ Was he acting weird? Or is it you who is acting weird?  _ one part of his brain asked, and the other part, the louder part, replied with,  _ Well, you've always liked him, but you just buried it. Didn't people say you guys have chemistry? Maybe since he had broken up with Jiwon, he finally sees you! _

Jinhwan groaned, and after three deep breaths, he tapped at the lift button, still not ready to face Donghyuk. 

*******

“Hey, Donghyuk-ah, are you finished?”

Jinhwan had four other opening lines in his head, some more aggressive than what he had used, but he decided to keep it normal and light. He had practiced an easy smile on his face on the way up, too, trying to get rid of the nervousness he had been feeling. 

He couldn’t totally shake the feeling off, though. This was Donghyuk, after all, a guy he had liked for the past two years, even before Donghyuk was transferred to his team. He had always found Donghyuk cool, albeit with too loud, cheerful laugh and a way too bright personality. He liked Donghyuk even more when they started to work together, but that was when he also found out that Donghyuk was seeing one of their other colleagues, Jiwon. 

But Jiwon had left two months ago, leaving the company for a job in London. And before that, Donghyuk had told Jinhwan in confidence that he and Jiwon had broken up, and didn’t explain why his boyfriend of three years was suddenly leaving—not just the company but also him. 

_ Was it because Jiwon had always been a free spirit?  _ Jinhwan thought, having worked with Jiwon on several projects. He knew Donghyuk and Jiwon had already been through a long-distance set-up when Jiwon took a sabbatical to travel the world, with Donghyuk even following him to some of the stops. Maybe this time, when he leaves, he didn’t want any ‘loose ends’, badly put. 

Even though with a liking with Donghyuk, Jinhwan kept that liking at bay as much as he could. He couldn’t like someone who was in a relationship, because that was almost like shooting himself in the foot. 

But here he was now, in his house, with Donghyuk, a few months out of a relationship, sitting in Jinhwan’s couch, head in hands. 

“Donghyuk?” Jinhwan asked, concern lacing his voice, and slowly he approached the younger guy. He sat on the couch’s arm rest, carefully placing his hand on Donghyuk’s shoulder, wondering which spot to touch so that his actions wouldn’t be misconstrued. 

“I’m sorry for my actions earlier. I might’ve put you on the spot,” Donghyuk said, when he emerged from his hands and looked up at Jinhwan, conflict in his eyes. 

“Okay,” Jinhwan said slowly. “But what even was  _ that  _ earlier?” 

Donghyuk chuckled nervously, turning his body slightly so that he was facing Jinhwan fully. “Hyung, you’re my boss,” he started, making Jinhwan frown a bit. Yet Jinhwan didn’t speak, waiting for the rest of whatever Donghyuk was going to say. Wasn’t one of Donghyuk’s feedback to him during their performance review sessions was that he sometimes doesn’t listen? 

“And I’ve always liked working with you. I learned and grew so much, and you helped me expand my horizons,” Donghyuk continued. “But I’ve always liked  _ you _ .” 

That made Jinhwan pause. “Oh, c’mon, Donghyuk—“ 

“Your patience was the one that I admired a lot,” Donghyuk cut in. “The way you teach people and guide people...” He gave Jinhwan a gentle smile, tentative when he placed his hand atop of Jinhwan’s hand that was resting on his thigh. He gave Jinhwan a chance to pull back, but the other guy didn’t, so he continued. “But of course, there’s this fact that you’re gorgeous and you’re excruciatingly unaware of it.” 

A blush colored Jinhwan’s cheeks, and he looked away from Donghyuk. “I am your boss,” he said, and with the way Jinhwan said it, Donghyuk wasn’t sure if Jinhwan was reminding himself or reminding Donghyuk. 

“I know,” Donghyuk said softly. “You don’t know how much of a struggle it had been the past few weeks.” 

Jinhwan shook his head, wanting to say  _ he knew _ , because it had been a struggle for him, too. He and Donghyuk had been immersed for the launch of a big project in the last two weeks, working late into the night and sometimes even on weekends, holed up in one room so that people wouldn’t bother them. And then, at the end of each shift, Donghyuk would drop him off at his house, as it was along the way. 

In their last week, Donghyuk was also picking him up on the way to the office. 

And throughout all their working hours, a lot of stories were exchanged, and he got to know Donghyuk more in the past two weeks more than in the past two years. 

Donghyuk took a deep breath, tapping at Jinhwan’s hand, trying to catch Jinhwan’s attention. Jinhwan finally did, the expression on his face was unreadable. 

But Donghyuk pushed through with it. He already started it—what else did he have to lose? 

“I am not sure if I’m reading it right... so I’ll just ask. Jinhwan hyung, do you like me, too?” Donghyuk asked, his tone light and not pressuring. 

“Oh Donghyuk,” Jinhwan said, again shaking his head. He had pulled his hand from underneath Donghyuk’s and then stood up. “I am your boss,” he said instead. 

This time, Donghyuk was sure Jinhwan was saying it as a reminder to himself. 

“Yeah, but you’re not really answering the question,” Donghyuk said, moving close to Jinhwan. He was only a few centimeters taller than Jinhwan so he doesn’t tower over Jinhwan that much, but he still loomed over his boss. 

While Jinhwan held his ground, his eyes were evading Donghyuk. “Donghyuk-ah, we’re not doing this,” he said, and Donghyuk  _ tsk _ -ed. 

“Hyung, it’s a yes or no question,” Donghyuk said softly. “If it’s a yes, and then we figure out how we proceed, and then if it’s a no, then... maybe we just go back to suppressing these feelings.” 

Jinhwan turned his head sharply, glaring at Donghyuk. “The latter feels like you’ve already made an assumption.” 

Donghyuk sighed. “Hyung, please,” he said, his eyes darting to Jinhwan’s lips, lingering there for a few seconds, and then back to Jinhwan’s eyes. The softness in his voice was gone, as if his patience had already ran thin. “Yes or no: do you like me?” 

Jinhwan swallowed the lump in his throat, his heart raring to get out of his chest. Donghyuk held his gaze, a slight crease in his forehead, eyes intense. He felt like if he held onto his answer longer, Donghyuk would start tapping his foot on the floor in his impatience. While he wanted to see that, he couldn’t bear how close Donghyuk was to him, lips just within tiptoeing distance...

“Yes,” Jinhwan breathed, his heart now in his throat. The crease in Donghyuk’s forehead smoothened, and a slow smile played on his lips. “I do. I do like you,” Jinhwan continued, and Donghyuk whispered his  _ yes _ , fist pumping in the air. 

“I knew it,” Donghyuk said, and he stepped closer to Jinhwan, reaching up to cup Jinhwan’s cheek in his hand. 

To his dismay, Jinhwan pulled back by a bit. “That’s a yes with reservations—“ 

“It’s still a yes,” Donghyuk cut in. “Now, please shut up, because I have been wanting to kiss you for the longest time now—the reservations we can discuss later.” 

Without another word, he swooped in, closing the distance between him and Jinhwan. Jinhwan crashed into him, hands on his chest, clutching at Donghyuk’s shirt as their lips met. Donghyuk held his face with care, in contrast to the rushed and intense way he was kissing Jinhwan. He kissed Jinhwan like there was so much time lost, tasting him, biting Jinhwan’s lower lip, making Jinhwan moan into the kiss. 

Then Donghyuk felt Jinhwan tapping him on the chest, as if tapping out, and he released Jinhwan. Not fully, because he still held Jinhwan’s face in his hands. He tried to catch his breath, leaning his forehead against Jinhwan’s, as Jinhwan tried to draw in deep breaths himself. 

“Too much?” Donghyuk asked when he was semi-recovered. Before Jinhwan could answer, he stole a quick, light kiss, making Jinhwan chuckle. Gently, Jinhwan removed Donghyuk’s hands on his face, and then took a step back. He touched his lips with his fingers, and Donghyuk tried to restrain himself from pulling Jinhwan back in. 

“A bit too much. You... are intense,” Jinhwan admitted, and he let out a long exhale. 

“Considering you still have reservations about all this,” Donghyuk said, motioning to him and Jinhwan, and Jinhwan nodded. Donghyuk nodded, popping his lips together. He wanted to kiss Jinhwan again but Jinhwan had already said there were reservations, so the kissing would have to wait. 

Donghyuk offered his hand towards Jinhwan’s direction, and the other guy took it, and they walked hand-in-hand back to the couch. Donghyuk folded his legs underneath him, so that he was facing Jinhwan, and motioned for Jinhwan to do the same. Once they were settled, he gave Jinhwan’s hands in his a squeeze. 

“Reservations,” Donghyuk prompted. “What are they?” 

Jinhwan hesitated, but Donghyuk’s easy smile gave him courage. He forgot how out of all the members of his team, he found working with Donghyuk the easiest because Donghyuk had kept the communication lines open all the time. He was the junior who knew how to manage upwards, and somehow, Jinhwan felt like this was what Donghyuk was doing now. 

“Donghyuk, I saw how you much you loved Jiwon. And it’s only been a few months since then, and...” Jinhwan’s voice trailed. 

“You’re not sure if I’ve already recovered,” Donghyuk filled in, and Jinhwan nodded. 

“I’m not sure what you wanted this to be—“

“Jinhwan hyung, come on,” Donghyuk cut in, a hint of hurt in his voice. “It’s unfair for you if I go into this still hung up on my ex, and if I would only want a meaningless something from this.” He sighed, and Jinhwan gave his hands a comforting and maybe an apologetic squeeze. “I struggled, okay? I thought there was a future there with Jiwon, and we were preparing for it. Or I was preparing for it and he was preparing for something else? And he’s gone now. He’s not here. He chose a different road, and that’s the road where I’m not there.”

Donghyuk sighed, shaking his head, a bittersweet smile on his face. “I am moving forward,” he declared. “This is me moving forward.” 

Jinhwan paused to absorb and consider this for a few moments, looking at Donghyuk who held his gaze. Donghyuk’s face was open, eyes intense, and Jinhwan tried to figure out if he was telling the truth. 

“Okay,” Jinhwan said after a while. “Moving forward.” He gave Donghyuk a curt nod, and Donghyuk released a sigh of relief. 

“So I am assuming the next one is about me being your direct report,” Donghyuk said, and Jinhwan nodded. 

“I need to talk to my boss and to the HR about this,” Jinhwan said, and Donghyuk was hesitant.

“Do we have to?” he asked. “You didn’t take advantage of me. I think I was the one who did that.” He grinned, and Jinhwan rolled his eyes. 

“Do you want people to think that you only got a promotion just because I am seeing you?” Jinhwan asked, an eyebrow raised to emphasize his question. 

“Okay, we’re dating now,” Donghyuk teased, and his smile disappeared when he saw that Jinhwan remained serious. “Of course, I don’t want them to think that! I don’t want people thinking I slept my way up the ladder,” he replied.

“Exactly,” Jinhwan said. “And I don’t want our work to be affected. In one way or another, this would be a distraction, even if you say we’re professionals.” 

“But hyung,” Donghyuk said, suddenly sad, “that would mean I’m out of your team.” He squeezed Jinhwan’s hand. “I liked working with you.” 

Jinhwan smirked. “It’s either you work with me or you makeout with me. Those are your options.” 

“If you put it that way…” Donghyuk said, chuckling. And then, with a sigh, he said, “Okay, fine. Do you need me there when we talk to Mr. Koo?” 

“I’d say I can take care of it, but I think it’s better that he hears it from both of us.” 

“Okay, done. We’ll talk to Mr. Koo first thing on Monday,” Donghyuk said, and then after Jinhwan nodded, Donghyuk’s lips curved into a mischievous grin. 

“Now, about that making out…” he said, making Jinhwan blush. 

Jinhwan spread his arms open, unfolding his legs from beneath him, giving Donghyuk a wide smile. “Come here, Kim Donghyuk,” he said, and Donghyuk pounced on top of him, making Jinhwan collapse in a fit of giggles as Donghyuk peppered his face with kisses. 


	2. Chapter 2

Today was Jinhwan and Donghyuk’s first day back after that game-changer of a Friday, and the whirlwind weekend that followed: eating, hanging out in Jinhwan’s house, spending the night at Donghyuk’s place, going to Church on Sunday, and followed by lots more eating.

And today was the talk with Mr. Koo, which Jinhwan dreaded, because he had come up with multiple ways of how his boss could possibly react to his office romance—too much overthinking that he had actually only slept for three hours. 

“I have a request,” Jinhwan said as soon as he entered Donghyuk’s car when Donghyuk had picked him up on Monday morning. Donghyuk stopped, because his seatbelt was off and he was ready to kiss Jinhwan good morning. 

“Well, good morning to you, too, honey,” Donghyuk said, and the frown on Jinhwan’s face immediately disappeared. 

“Honey?” Jinhwan asked, a naughty smile on his face, as Donghyuk was still leaning close to him. 

“You don’t like it?” Donghyuk asked, pulling back by a bit, but Jinhwan was quick, pulling him by his tie. “No, no,” Jinhwan said, shaking his head, finally giving Donghyuk a soft, sweet kiss that lasted longer than it should while the car was parked at the lobby of his condo. He was thankful Donghyuk’s car has a semi-dark tint and the security guard wasn’t at his usual spot, or else this was too much of a public display of their affection. 

“Good morning,” he said with a satisfied smile after releasing Donghyuk. He leaned back to his seat and buckled his seat and Donghyuk did the same. “I was surprised at the pet name. I didn’t think about it, since we’re a bit too new.” 

“It slipped out, to be honest,” Donghyuk said, his cheeks turning a bit red. “I just—“

“Shh, Donghyuk, _honey_ , it’s fine,” Jinhwan cut in, and Donghyuk rolled his eyes at the mischievous glint in Jinhwan’s eyes. 

“So, what’s the request?” Donghyuk asked once he had gotten the car on the road. At the corner of his eye, he saw Jinhwan take a deep breath, before saying, “Can we keep our relationship a secret first? Until whatever next steps Mr. Koo would say,” he said, his tone tentative, as if he expects Donghyuk to say no right away. 

“You’re still overthinking the you’re my boss part, aren’t you?” Donghyuk asked, glancing at him quickly. 

“Not overthinking, but… I just need some time to adjust to this. That I am dating someone again, and then that he’s my officemate. My teammate, in fact.”

“When’s the last time you were in a relationship? It felt like ever since I’ve known you, you were single,” Donghyuk asked, turning at the curb. 

“The serious one was five years ago. I dated here and there, but… yeah,” Jinhwan replied with a shrug. “So, what do you say?” 

Donghyuk paused, forehead creasing in a frown. “I don’t get why you wanted to hide it. Stuff like this should be celebrated, no?” 

“Stuff like this should be _private_ ,” Jinhwan replied. “This is between you and I—“

“Yeah, I get the privacy thing, but not telling people _at all_ except Mr. Koo?” 

“Just for a few weeks? Let’s enjoy this little thing for ourselves first,” Jinhwan said, and Donghyuk hesitated. 

“Okay,” he said after a couple of seconds. “But just for a few weeks, okay? I want to be able to go out with you in public.”

“Thanks,” Jinhwan said, a small smile on his face. He then let out a long breath which made Donghyuk glance at him again. “What time is the talk with Mr. Koo?” Donghyuk asked. “Please tell me it’s the first meeting of the day because I am not sure if you can survive the rest of the day agonizing over this.”

“It is the first thing.”

“Okay, good! We will get it over and done with,” Donghyuk said, way too cheerfully than what Jinhwan would like. When Donghyuk saw that Jinhwan didn’t react, he reached for Jinhwan’s hand, which was resting on his lap. “Hey, I am going to be there with you. We are doing this together,” he told Jinhwan quietly. 

Jinhwan responded by giving Donghyuk’s hand a squeeze. “Yes, together,” he said, his face relaxing a bit. 

*******

“Good morning, Jinhwan-ssi, Donghyuk-ssi.”

Both Donghyuk and Jinhwan stood up from their seats so quickly their chairs almost toppled, startled by the sudden entrance of Mr. Koo. They bowed, greeting him with a polite good morning, and then straightened up and waited for the young CEO to sit down. He was younger than Jinhwan but of the same age as Donghyuk, but he bore an air of confidence from having been part of the company ever since he was still in uni. He was groomed for his family’s business, and he looked like he was born for it, too, given with the smooth operations of the company ever since he had taken over. 

“Sit down,” Mr. Koo said, waving his hand at the two, and they did. “I heard from Joanne what the agenda of this meeting is. Trust she has passed you the documents that you would need to sign so that the human resources has a record?” he asked, direct to the point as always.

Jinhwan, who was clutching at the sheets in his hand so tightly that Donghyuk was sure that they would end up getting him another copy of it, nodded. “Yes, sir,” Jinhwan said, his voice slightly shaking. Beads of sweat had already lined his forehead. Donghyuk was trying his best in holding back his grin, because he was finding a nervous Jinhwan too adorable. It was the first time he had seen Jinhwan like this ever since they started to work together, because as his boss, Jinhwan almost always had the answers to every question, and never seemed to get rattled. 

It was one of the things Donghyuk admired about his boss, and now there was a clear possibility that they would stop working together because of their changed relationship status. Donghyuk sighed, almost worried now, too, if he would fit in with his new team and how his new boss would be.

“When did it start?” Mr. Koo asked, breaking into Donghyuk’s wandering thoughts. 

“Just last Friday, sir,” said Jinhwan.

Donghyuk wanted to say it was before than that, he liked Jinhwan even way before, and he knew Jinhwan had felt the same, but he stayed silent. He let Jinhwan take the lead on this. 

“Reporting it this early?” Mr. Koo said, amused. “Then let’s settle this meeting fast.” He turned serious, shuffling through the papers on his desk as if the solution was there. And then he looked up at the new couple, saying, “We will transfer Kim Donghyuk to another team. One month transition period as I believe you both have just recently launched a big project.”

There was a pause, and then Mr. Koo continued, “You may leave, Donghyuk. I need to discuss with Jinhwan-ssi on the transition and the org structure.” 

Donghyuk glanced at Jinhwan, his face a split of confusion and amusement. _It was that easy?_ he thought. Jinhwan had given him a forced smile, which told Donghyuk that it was easy for him, but the uphill climb was just starting for Jinhwan. 

Donghyuk stood up, bowing again to Mr. Koo, and then he turned to leave the office. He looked back, however, and he caught Jinhwan watching him. “Later,” Donghyuk mouthed, and Jinhwan nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. 

*******

“I thought you didn't like mixing work with pleasure,” Mr. Koo said, as soon as the door had closed behind Donghyuk. Jinhwan turned to face him, and was met with a smirk from Mr. Koo. 

“Um,” Jinhwan said, but he wasn't able to continue. What would he say? That when he had gone out with Mr. Koo before it was against his better judgment? That whatever had transpired between him and Mr. Koo was a one-time thing, which should never have happened in the first place? That he really did have a strict personal no-office romance policy, but Donghyuk was different?

Jinhwan took a deep breath. “I'm sorry, Mr. Koo,” was what he said instead. 

Mr. Koo let out an exaggerated sigh, and then he gave Jinhwan an easy smile. Jinhwan sometimes found Mr. Koo a bit hard to read, because he was good with his poker face. 

“I told you, call me Junhoe,” the CEO said. 

“J-junhoe,” Jinhwan repeated, cussing internally as to why he was stuttering. “I'm sorry, Junhoe.” 

“Okay,” Junhoe said, clasping his hands together in front of him. “So what should we do now, which team do you think we should transfer your boyfriend in?” 

Jinhwan let out a shaky breath. “I can only make suggestions, Mr. Koo—Junhoe,” Jinhwan said, “and it is up to you if you should take it up, as I don't want it to be misconstrued that I am trying to influence anything with regards to Donghyuk's career.” 

Junhoe shrugged. “Well, suggest away.”

“I think he will be a good fit to Ms. Park’s team.” 

“Dara noona?”

Jinhwan nodded. “One of her more senior executives had resigned, and she had been looking for a replacement for the past few months, but she hasn't found the right fit. She has worked with Donghyuk on some small projects, and I think they had good work chemistry.” 

“That would leave you to be the one who will find a new teammate,” Junhoe said, eyebrows furrowed, as if the idea wasn't sounding too good for him. 

“Yes, that would be the case, Mr. Koo—Junhoe,” Jinhwan said, stumbling through the name again, making Junhoe smirk. This time, Jinhwan could read Junhoe's face—the man wanted to make a remark but was holding back on it. 

“Okay,” Junhoe said instead. “Let me think about it. You may leave, Jinhwan-ssi.”

Jinhwan stood up, wanting to get out of the room as soon as possible. He was already at the door when Junhoe spoke. 

“You should be able to say my name easily, Jinani, considering the number of times you have uttered and whispered it that one night.”

Jinhwan froze. It was the first time Junhoe had brought that night up, even with the countless of times they have been in meetings and have also found themselves alone. They managed to maintain a good, professional relationship even after that one-night stand three years ago. Does being with Donghyuk change things with his boss?

Jinhwan took a deep breath, and then faced Junhoe, his face hard. “Is this going to be an issue, Mr. Koo?” he said, his voice also firm, emphasizing the use of Mr. Koo instead Junhoe. 

The CEO gave him an evil grin this time, which sent shivers down Jinhwan's spine. “No, Mr. Kim Jinhwan. It won't be an issue,” he said, and then waved his hand dismissively.

Jinhwan couldn't wait to get out of the room so fast. 

*******

Jinhwan found himself in the fire exit, one of the few places in their office with no CCTV cameras. He sat down the steps of the stairs, leaning against the wall. He didn't want Mr. Koo getting a wind of how rattled he was after that talk, because he didn’t like himself for letting that one night of weakness happen. Sure it was a night of goddamn pleasure and multiple orgasms, but that was all he wanted from that one night with his boss and nothing else. 

So when Mr. Koo brought up the idea that they should continue on with it, wanting something more with Jinhwan, he declined, saying he didn't mix business with pleasure. 

“While it is unfortunate that we cannot continue on with this,” he remembered Mr. Koo say, “I will take comfort in the fact that you were pleasured.” 

Jinhwan bumped his head against the wall, letting out a string of curses under his breath. His hands were still shaking, and his face was all sweaty. _Get it together,_ he thought, and he took a few deep breaths. 

He jumped when the door to the fire exit had opened, spewing out Donghyuk. “Hey,” Donghyuk said, approaching him slowly. “Are you okay?”

Donghyuk sat down next to him, placing an arm over Jinhwan’s shoulder. “Jesus, honey, you are pale,” Donghyuk said, worried. He took out his hanky and wiped Jinhwan's sweat with it, and then surveyed Jinhwan's face. 

“What the hell happened in there after I left?” Donghyuk asked, his voice low, but Jinhwan could see the concern written all over his face. He was still fussing over Jinhwan, wiping his sweat dry, fixing his hair, and Jinhwan chuckled, grabbing Donghyuk's hand to make him stop. 

“It’s okay, you don't have to think about it,” Jinhwan said, kissing the inside of Donghyuk's hand, which erased the look of worry on Donghyuk's face. “It’s a discussion for another day, but in the meantime, fill up the forms so we can submit it to HR.” 

“That doesn't sound too good, the discussion for another day part,” Donghyuk said, his eyes narrowing at Jinhwan. “You know that I am here, right? And you can talk to me. You can share your worries and anything with me?” 

Jinhwan smiled, nodding. “Yes, I do know that, Donghyuk-ah.” He cupped Donghyuk's face with his hand and then leaned in, so that he was cheek to cheek with his partner. He didn't know how to tell Donghyuk about Mr. Koo yet. He held Donghyuk for a bit, until his heartbeat relaxed and until he didn't feel like running, and then kissed Donghyuk's cheek before releasing him. 

“Let's go back to work,” Jinhwan said, standing up. He offered his hand to Donghyuk and pulled him up.

“Let's go,” Donghyuk said, pulling Jinhwan, but Jinhwan held him back. 

“You need to go first.” 

“Why?” 

“Because people in the office knows what happens in this fire exit, so they can't see us coming out together.”

Donghyuk smirked. “And so what?” he said, and he rolled his eyes upon seeing Jinhwan's reaction. “Fine, fine. You have a one month reprieve, Kim Jinhwan. Until I transition to another team, and until you aren't my boss anymore. After that, I don’t care who sees and what other people would think.” 

Jinhwan nodded. Donghyuk had his hand on the door handle and was about to re-enter the office when Jinhwan pulled him back, wrapping his arms around Donghyuk's waist, surprising the guy. 

“What the— _ah_ ,” Donghyuk said, shaking his head at Jinhwan. He saw the naughty expression on Jinhwan's face, so he switched moods, too. “Yes, honey?” he asked, his tone sweet. 

“Well, let’s give justice to what the other people use this fire exit for, before we start working,” Jinhwan said, winking at him. 

Donghyuk threw his head back, laughing his loud laugh, only to be cut off with Jinhwan's hand on his mouth. “Shh!” Jinhwan said, and Donghyuk continued to laugh, muffled by Jinhwan's hand this time. He pulled off Jinhwan's hand, and then said, teasing, “Just say you like the thrill of sneaking around, honey, I will understand.”

“Shut up,” Jinhwan said, capturing Donghyuk's mouth in a kiss. Donghyuk held Jinhwan's face in his hands, urging Jinhwan to open his mouth with his tongue. And when Jinhwan relented, he plunged in, deepening the kiss, his tongue mating with Jinhwan's. He clutched at Jinhwan’s shirt, trying to get some footing, _something_ , because he felt like floating. Kissing Jinhwan always felt like being on cloud nine—he was intoxicating and addicting. 

Donghyuk was sure he moaned, and he wanted _more_ , right there and then, in the fire exit, but Jinhwan pulled away, much too soon for him. He chased Jinhwan's lips but Jinhwan was already a few steps away, fixing his clothes, smoothing out any creases as much as he could. 

“Later,” Jinhwan said, with a mischievous grin. 

“It is your fault if I don't concentrate at all at work today. You don't give me that kind of kiss and just...stop!” Donghyuk said, pouting.

Jinhwan laughed, cocking his head towards the door, and Donghyuk shook his head. “I think you should go first,” he said, cheeks red, making Jinhwan frown. “I… have a, um, situation.” 

Donghyuk looked down, and Jinhwan's eyes followed, down at Donghyuk's pants which were considerably tighter than they were a few minutes ago. 

“Right,” Jinhwan said, his smile wider than before. “I will go ahead.” He patted Donghyuk on the shoulder, and then just before opening the door, he leaned in to whisper into Donghyuk's ear. 

“I will think about you the whole day,” he whispered, giving Donghyuk a squeeze through his pants, laughing as Donghyuk cursed him as he re-entered the office.


	3. Chapter 3

Two weeks. 

It had been two weeks since Jinhwan and Donghyuk started to see each other, but it still felt strangely a mix of something new and familiar to them. New, because they weren’t just colleagues anymore—they were partners and lovers now, and they find out something new with each other and about each other every day. Familiar, because they had worked with each other for the past two years, more or less knows each other’s quirks, and they have a rhythm and routine to their working days.

The difference was they saw each other more out of office, and except for that one fire exit incident, Jinhwan had been strict with his personal not-in-office rule. They went about their usual routine—only seeing each other whenever necessary and getting lunches with their usual lunch buddies. Outside of Mr. Koo and their HR, nobody knew that Jinhwan and Donghyuk were going out. 

Until today, that is. 

Jinhwan was in a meeting with Yunhyeong for a different project, along with their internal clients Jinwoo and Daesung, who were also in Donghyuk’s immediate circle of office friends. Jinhwan didn’t know what Donghyuk’s friends know, because he himself hasn’t told any one of his office friends that he was seeing Donghyuk. 

**_Where are you?_ **

Donghyuk’s ping came in while Yunhyeong was speaking. Jinhwan was only a resource person in the meeting, only needing to chip in whenever Yunhyeong couldn’t answer queries, so he could be only half-attentive to the meeting. 

**_Meeting room 3, why?_ **

Jinhwan stared at the screen, waiting for Donghyuk’s reply, but there was none. So he turned his attention back to his meeting, listening to Jinwoo turn down one of Yunhyeong’s more feasible suggestions. He was about to speak to show support for Yunhyeong when—

“Jinani, honey, I got you your favorite— _oh shit._ ” 

Donghyuk had barged into the room without knocking, carrying what looked like Jinhwan’s favorite choco banana walnut muffin. At that moment, Jinhwan didn’t know who was redder and more embarrassed: Donghyuk who nearly dropped the muffin on the floor or Jinhwan, whose mouth was gaping open in surprise. 

The three people in the room exchanged looks, and Jinhwan hid his face behind his hand, letting out a groan. 

They could’ve managed to pass it off as a normal office occurrence if there wasn’t any _honey_ in Donghyuk’s entrance speech. 

But then again, there was no mistaking the tenderness and sweetness in Donghyuk’s tone, an earnest attempt to show his new partner he cared. 

“Ha! Knew it! Pay up, Jinwoo!”

Daesung was the first one to recover, giving Jinwoo a playful shove. He held out an open palm towards Jinwoo’s direction, and Jinwoo, half-amused and half-disappointed, pulled his wallet from his pocket and handed him a twenty. 

“I just thought it hasn’t started yet and they were at the flirting stage, but the _honey_ did me in!” Jinwoo said, shaking his head while smiling. 

Across them, Yunhyeong flashed a knowing smile. 

“You, too?” Donghyuk said, shocked, closing the door behind him so that no one else could hear. 

Jinhwan looked up, as Donghyuk rounded the meeting room table and found his way to Jinhwan. He placed a hand on Jinhwan’s shoulder for comfort, squeezing his shoulder, and the older guy tilted his head to the side so he could brush his cheek on Donghyuk’s hand for a quick moment. 

Yunhyeong shrugged. “You guys know there are sparks flying for a few months now between you two?” he asked, giving Jinhwan and Donghyuk a pointed look. “Sometimes I feel like I want to leave the room whenever you two start discussing, even when it’s about work. You guys were like magnets to each other, you know?” 

Jinhwan scrunched his nose, still red in the face. “That obvious?” 

“I think all of us saw it before either of you did,” Daesung piped in. 

Jinhwan let out a grunt in frustration, and Donghyuk playfully ruffled his hair. “Ya,” Jinhwan said, trying to evade Donghyuk’s hand but he just relented when he heard Donghyuk’s giggle. 

“Is that why he’s getting transferred?” Yunhyeong asked, as Jinhwan had announced during one team meeting about Donghyuk transitioning out of the team. 

Jinhwan nodded. “Company rules.”

“All I can say is freaking finally, you guys,” Jinwoo said, and when Jinhwan looked up, he was met with bright, accepting smiles, which eased his worries. Even if they were in a roomful of people they consider friends, it was a start, that they were okay with his and Donghyuk’s relationship. 

“Okay, muffin,” Donghyuk said, placing it in front of Jinhwan. Jinhwan knew that Donghyuk was stopping himself from planting a kiss on him, basing off the smile on his boyfriend’s face. “I have intruded on your meeting for too long already. See y’all later,” he said, leaving the room. 

Jinhwan cleared his throat, eyes on the muffin, and then he took a deep breath to get his bearings once more. “Okay, with regards to Yunhyeong’s suggestion earlier,” he started, turning serious again, and the rest of the room fell into order. He had finished speaking when Donghyuk’s message popped up on his laptop screen once more. 

**_Next time please let me know if you are with other people, preferably before you give out the room where you are ;)_ **

**_IT IS A MEETING ROOM!! Why did you think I was alone?_ **

**_I got super excited to give you the muffin, I didn’t process it! I thought you were just hiding from people today._ **

Jinhwan sighed, shaking his head, because he does do it sometimes, hiding himself away in a meeting room to finish his deliverables faster. 

**_But thanks for the muffin, hun :) I appreciate it!_ **

**_Show me the appreciation in person later ;)_ **

With the back of his hand, Jinhwan tried to hide the wide grin that was playing on his lips as the other three in the meeting room discussed, thinking of all the ways he can show Donghyuk his appreciation. 

*******

“The house is in a bit of a messy state, so…” 

Donghyuk pushed the door open to his condo, letting Jinhwan inside. It was the weekend, and this one in particular was going to be spent on helping Donghyuk clean up and pack up his place. Jinhwan knew what he was going into after saying yes to helping Donghyuk—after all, the house that they would be packing up was the unit that Donghyuk had shared with Jiwon for two years. Their home, which Donghyuk would be leaving now, because the contract was up. 

“And then where are you going?” Jinhwan remembered asking Donghyuk when he said he was moving out of his current house. “You would only get the keys to the house that you bought in four months.” 

“Moving back to my parents’ house first, unless…” Donghyuk said, winking at him, but Jinhwan laughed. They were too new, and things were going too fast as it was, so he couldn’t just ask Donghyuk to move in with him. 

“Let’s take our own sweet time,” Donghyuk said, pressing his lips on Jinhwan’s temple, then told him that he would pick up Jinhwan at 10am on Saturday.

“You know, this isn’t ‘a bit of a messy state,’ Donghyuk,” Jinhwan said, unable to mask his amusement, because the house was clean—and cleaner than his house. “This is immaculate clean.” 

Donghyuk beamed a proud smile as he tugged at Jinhwan’s hand, welcoming him into his house. Jinhwan swept his eyes across the house—it was a two-bedroom affair, and he couldn’t discern what was the theme of the former couple who used to live here because the colors were all over. The kitchen was industrial-looking, with whites and silvers and metals, while the living room was all black leather and grey hues. One corner of the house where there was a display of toys and action figures was colorful, with pin lights to highlight the big display of Thanos’ gauntlet. 

Jinhwan walked around, with Donghyuk following him close behind, until he reached the first room. It was a study room, in purples and blues, with one long black table occupying one corner with a computer monitor. There was one ergonomic chair when the space would’ve allowed for two, and he wondered if Jiwon had taken his own chair when he moved out. A bookshelf in one side had some books and was in disarray, as if someone had grabbed some stuff there and had left in a hurry. There was one half-filled box next to the table, and then a black trash bag filled with papers. 

“Bedroom?” Donghyuk said, and Jinhwan almost forgot Donghyuk was still there. He noticed Donghyuk was watching his expressions carefully, and Jinhwan gave him a small smile, because that was all he could muster at this point. It was a bit weird for him, because it felt like he was intruding—the house still had faint hints that it wasn’t just Donghyuk who had lived there. 

The master’s bedroom was twice as big as the study room, and it was almost all in black—from the blackout ceiling to floor curtains to the bedcovers. The dressers and bedside tables were all thankfully in white, as well as the TV rack. He stepped into a smaller door, which showed him a wardrobe, one side of it full. He silently hoped that Donghyuk had spread out his clothes more so that the semblance of emptiness wasn’t that obvious. 

Donghyuk released his hand, flopping onto the bed, bouncing back up quickly, the softness of the mattress springing him back up. The bed had four pillows and one Tigger plushie in the middle, and Jinhwan looked at Donghyuk in question. 

“I don’t remember where it came from,” Donghyuk said, which Jinhwan took as a code for _Jiwon gave it to me._

Jinhwan shrugged, and then said, “I don’t think we’d get to finish packing everything up in just one weekend, Donghyuk-ah.” 

Donghyuk gave a shrug of his own, patting the space next to him on the bed, and Jinhwan sat next to him. Donghyuk rested his hand on Jinhwan’s waist. “Then it’s fine. That would mean more time to spend with you,” he replied, and Jinhwan let out a soft giggle. 

“Oh yeah?” he said, facing Donghyuk, and Donghyuk laid down on the bed, pulling Jinhwan on top of him. “Ya, Kim Donghyuk!” Jinhwan exclaimed as he fell. He braced his hands on Donghyuk’s chest, his laugh getting stuck in his throat as he was disarmed with the way Donghyuk was looking up at him. He had a look of openness, trust, and comfort, like he was opening himself up to Jinhwan, letting himself to be vulnerable. 

They had made out, sure, countless of times in the past three weeks, but they were always rushing, eager to kiss, to taste, to touch. They never paused or took it slow, and this was the first time Jinhwan was seeing Donghyuk up close without his senses on overdrive. 

Donghyuk’s long hair gave in to gravity, falling down on the bed and exposing his forehead which Jinhwan rarely sees, as Donghyuk almost always lets his hair flop down. Tempted, Jinhwan ran his fingers through Donghyuk’s locks, making Donghyuk close his eyes. 

Jinhwan looked at Donghyuk’s face, gazing at him. He ran his finger down the bridge of Donghyuk’s nose, watching as Donghyuk’s breath hitched at Jinhwan’s featherlike touch. Slowly, Donghyuk opened his own eyes, staring back at Jinhwan. He remained unmoving, waiting for Jinhwan’s next move. 

Jinhwan trailed his finger up Donghyuk’s right cheekbone, seeing that faintly, there was a mole between his right cheek and ear, and then a bit lower, by his nape, was another one. And then he continued the trail down Donghyuk’s chin, moving to his boyfriend’s left side of the face. He had more moles there, one more noticeable than the other. He also had one on the inside of his left ear, and when Jinhwan touched the outside of Donghyuk’s ear, the younger guy shivered, a tickle running down his skin. 

“Ah,” Jinhwan said, a faint smile on his face, noting in his mental calendar that Donghyuk was ticklish around the ears. And then he continued his discovery of his boyfriend’s face, as Donghyuk’s lips curved in a small smile. When Donghyuk smiled, it emphasized his cheekbones, exposing a hint of dimples on both cheeks. His eyes smile, too, whenever his lips curve into a smile, and they light up, as if Donghyuk was bringing out the brightness inside him with each smile. 

Donghyuk’s smile disappeared when Jinhwan’s finger softly touched his lower lip, and as if by reflex, his mouth slightly opened. “Jinani,” he whispered, and Jinhwan silenced him with a slight shake of his head. He traced the edges of Donghyuk’s lips, and felt it when Donghyuk let out a long exhale through his lips, as if he was trying his best to restrain himself from moving. Jinhwan knew it was asking too much from Donghyuk, to have him still, because he was a big ball of energy. 

And, when he couldn’t handle it anymore, Donghyuk kissed Jinhwan’s finger, making Jinhwan grin. “Aish, stop moving,” Jinhwan whispered in mock anger, and with a naughty smile, Donghyuk bit the tip of Jinhwan’s finger. 

Jinhwan pulled back, his eyes flashing, but it was more in mischief than annoyance. 

“You, honey, are testing my patience,” Donghyuk said, reaching up to touch Jinhwan’s face. He brushed Jinhwan’s hair back, exposing his forehead, moving his hand until he settled it on Jinhwan’s nape. 

“Let me just remind you,” Jinhwan said, tapping the tip of Donghyuk’s nose playfully, “that you brought me here to help you pack. Unless this was an elaborate ruse to get me in bed?” 

Jinhwan felt Donghyuk’s laugh before he heard it. With a smug smile, Donghyuk said, “Well, you _are_ in bed with me now, so… I guess that part I succeeded.” 

Jinhwan rolled his eyes. “Stop it, Kim Donghyuk,” he said, pushing himself off Donghyuk, but Donghyuk was quick. He braced himself to take the impact of Jinhwan’s weight when he pulled him back down on the bed. But Jinhwan was quick, able to avoid Donghyuk and landing on the space beside him with a mighty bounce. 

“Stay here first, for a while,” Donghyuk said, resting his head on his elbow, as he gazed at the winded Jinhwan. 

“We have packing to do,” Jinhwan answered, but the conviction in his voice was already missing. 

“You know, I both admire and find it frustrating how when you have a goal, you set your mind to do it right away,” Donghyuk whispered. This time, he traced his knuckle gently on Jinhwan’s face, starting from the heart-shaped mole on the side of Jinhwan’s face all the way to Jinhwan’s lips. “Well, honey, I have another goal in mind before we start packing.” 

“Oh yeah?” Jinhwan whispered back, his voice already hoarse. His eyes darted to Donghyuk’s lips, which curved in a naughty smile. 

“Hell yes,” Donghyuk said, his hand going down lower. He traced circles on Jinhwan’s chest, and Jinhwan’s breathing became slower and heavier, until Donghyuk went even lower. He played with the hem of Jinhwan’s shirt, leaning in at the same time to kiss Jinhwan, a light, fleeting kiss. 

Jinhwan tugged at the collar of Donghyuk’s shirt, pulling him back in for a proper, deeper kiss, and Jinhwan discovered that Donghyuk could multitask. Donghyuk responded to his kisses, but at the same time, he slipped his hand into Jinhwan’s shirt. 

Jinhwan gasped into Donghyuk’s mouth, because Donghyuk’s hand was cold against his skin. Donghyuk responded with a moan, his hand dangerously close now to the band of Jinhwan’s jeans. Then he pulled back, trying to catch his breath, but also at the same time wanting to see Jinhwan’s reaction. 

“You—” Jinhwan started, as Donghyuk popped open the button of his jeans. He stopped Donghyuk, hand on top of Donghyuk’s, and he groaned, because he was already hard and Donghyuk’s hand has pressed against him when he did. 

“Yes, hun?” Donghyuk said sweetly. With a devilish smile, he moved his hand, running it down the length of Jinhwan’s crotch, giving him a slight squeeze through his jeans. 

“Yes, please,” Jinhwan breathed, and that was all Donghyuk needed, unzipping Jinhwan’s jeans and sliding his hand into it, into Jinhwan’s boxers, with a good mix of finesse and harriedness. He wasn’t sure if Donghyuk had initially planned to take this slow, with the rush and frenzy that Donghyuk was in now. 

“Hun,” Jinhwan said, making Donghyuk look at him. “We have time,” he reminded his boyfriend, pulling him up to him, his lips meeting with Donghyuk’s in a slow kiss. 

“I am not sure _I_ have time,” Donghyuk whispered, making Jinhwan laugh. “You are so hot, it hurts, hun.” 

Jinhwan pushed Donghyuk back on the bed so the latter was flat on his back. “Then you first, me later,” Jinhwan said, sliding his hands down Donghyuk’s torso as he slid down the bed. 

“Oh boy,” Donghyuk whispered, gulping as he watched Jinhwan unbutton his jeans with concentration written all over his face, with the patience that he didn’t have. “You will be the death of me,” he said with a groan, as Jinhwan was intent on taking it _very_ slow. 

“Oh, honey… You haven’t seen—or felt—anything yet,” Jinhwan said from where he had positioned himself between Donghyuk’s legs, a glint in his eyes. 

A few minutes later, Donghyuk was reduced to mere moans, with Jinhwan making good on his words. 

*******

“What should I do with this?” Jinhwan said, pulling out a small purple box he found at the lowest rung of the bookshelf. It was already past three in the afternoon when he and Donghyuk had gotten their act together, starting what they had initially planned to do today. His first task was the study room, while Donghyuk took the kitchen. 

Jinhwan groaned as he lifted himself off the floor, and when he got up, Jinhwan shook the box gently, and he knew the contents of the box were light items. 

Donghyuk popped his head into the room. “What is— _oh_.” 

Jinhwan saw it, the shift in Donghyuk’s mood, even if Donghyuk cleared his facial expression quickly. “Hun, you okay?” Jinhwan asked, not sure if he even wanted to hear the answer. A cold chill ran down his spine, and the way Donghyuk’s face turned pale wasn’t helping, either. 

Donghyuk let out a hollow laugh, and he entered the room, taking the box from Jinhwan’s hands. He shook it the way Jinhwan did, and then took off the lid. “If I am right, this should be—ah, yes,” Donghyuk said, and with his curiosity getting the best of him, Jinhwan leaned in to take a peek. 

“Jiwon’s letters to me,” Donghyuk said with a sigh. “He wrote one a month while he and I were together. Four or five months before we broke up, the letters got shorter and shorter. By the third month prior, there weren’t any letters anymore.” 

Donghyuk looked up at Jinhwan, and for the first time in a while, Jinhwan was unable to read his expression and his eyes. “It’s okay. You can throw them. I told Jiwon he should take it back with him but I guess he forgot.” 

“He didn’t take them back because they’re yours, Donghyuk-ah,” Jinhwan said, getting the box from Donghyuk and replacing the lid. He pushed it towards Donghyuk, who just shrugged. 

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Donghyuk said, who turned to head out of the room. While he passed by the trash bag that Jinhwan had placed near the door, he chucked the box of letters into it, making Jinhwan wince. 

“Sure, it doesn’t matter,” Jinhwan muttered, shaking his head with the way Donghyuk had reacted. The letters spilled out of the box, half of it falling into the trash bag, half on the floor. 

Jinhwan walked to it, sitting on the floor as he picked up each of the letters. He didn’t want to read them—they were private communications between Donghyuk and his former lover—but some of the words jumped out at him: _love, forever, lifetime, make me strong, future…_ He shoved the letters back into the box, and then closed the lid, placing it inside one of the boxes that he was packing. 

He then stood up, heading outside to check on Donghyuk. He wasn’t in the kitchen where he had started to pack, nor was he in the living room. Jinhwan found him at the unit’s veranda, a bottle of beer in hand. 

“Hey.” 

Donghyuk turned to look at Jinhwan, giving him a small smile. He passed his beer to Jinhwan who took a swig from it, and Jinhwan returned it to him. Donghyuk finished it in three gulps, discarding the bottle with a well-aimed throw to the nearby trash bag. He leaned against the railing, facing the city view. 

It was too quiet, but Jinhwan didn’t want to speak either, fearing the words he would hear weren’t the ones that he would like. Instead, he walked towards Donghyuk, placing his hands gently on Donghyuk’s waist. He felt Donghyuk’s sharp intake of breath, and then after a while his breathing relaxed. Jinhwan then leaned his head against his boyfriend’s back, a little way to offer comfort.

He was thankful that Donghyuk wasn’t pushing him away. 

They stayed that way for a few minutes, until Donghyuk tugged at Jinhwan’s hands, wrapping Jinhwan’s arms around his waist. Then he leaned back against Jinhwan, who propped him up after giving him a quick squeeze. 

“Sorry. I know I said I was fully recovered, but for some reason, that box of letters was like a knockout punch,” Donghyuk said, his voice low. “The number of times Jiwon had promised me in those letters he would stay and that we would last forever…” He let out a dry laugh, twisting in Jinhwan’s arms so that they were facing each other. 

“But then again, if he didn’t leave, I wouldn’t have you,” Donghyuk said, a small smile on his face. He pressed his lips on Jinhwan’s forehead, and when he pulled back, Jinhwan touched Donghyuk's face, gazing at it for a few moments before letting out a soft sigh.

“Honey, it’s okay to be sad over a relationship that isn't there anymore, especially if it was something that you thought would be the real deal,” Jinhwan said gently. 

“I sense there’s a ‘but’ to that,” Donghyuk said with an awkward smile.

Jinhwan smiled, but the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. There were multiple _but_ s to it that he wanted to add— _but I am here now, but you said moving forward, but now I am thinking if you’re really over him, but will you get to love someone again in the same intensity as you did with Jiwon ever again, but will I be enough for you_ —but he didn’t say them. 

“No buts,” Jinhwan replied, releasing him. “I’ll finish in the study room.” He had turned to re-enter the house but Donghyuk stopped him by grabbing him by the arm. 

“Jinani, we’re okay, right?” Donghyuk asked, concern etched on his handsome face. 

“Yeah, I think so,” came Jinhwan’s easy answer. He hasn’t processed what had happened just yet, but what he knew was that he wanted to be supportive to Donghyuk because he saw how much seeing those letters had jarred him. He didn’t know if it was right for him to feel a slight twinge of pain that he was feeling now, or the self-doubt that was bearing down on him. 

_Will I ever be enough for Donghyuk?_

Jinhwan leaned over and gave Donghyuk a quick peck on the lips and a thrifty smile. “Later,” he said, disappearing into the study room again. 


	4. Chapter 4

“Wow, Sunday night at the bar. Already trouble in paradise?” 

Jinhwan threw his head back to gulp down his fourth glass of whiskey, wincing at the taste. He turned his head slightly to the left, and he saw Mr. Koo as he slid into the empty bar stool next to him. 

“Go away,” Jinhwan said, annoyed. He was buzzed but not drunk yet, and the last person he needed to see was Mr. Koo. 

“Nope,” Mr. Koo said with a smug smile. “So, why are you getting yourself drunk?” 

Jinhwan was sure he didn't order for another round but the bartender came over and refilled his drink, and delivering Mr. Koo’s drink as well. “Cheers,” Mr. Koo said, and Jinhwan shrugged, clinking his glass with his boss’s. 

“So, what's going on?” Mr. Koo asked, but Jinhwan didn't speak, not wanting to give Mr. Koo the satisfaction of knowing that the reason he was drinking was Donghyuk. It’s one thing to tell people that you’re hurt; it’s another to tell a man whom you know likes you and would jump at any opportunity to have you that you’re having some doubts in your current relationship. 

“Come on, Jinhwan-ssi,” Mr. Koo said, plying him with another glass.  _ Is the bartender on standby? Because damn, these drinks are getting refilled fast! _ Jinhwan thought. 

Jinhwan knocked back the drink in one gulp, and turned to face Mr. Koo. “There is no trouble in paradise. I just want a good drink on a Sunday night before a hectic work week,” he said. 

“You drinking alone at the bar,” Mr. Koo started slowly, “reminds me of one night three years ago.” Mr. Koo rested his hand dangerously close next to Jinhwan's on the bar table, and Jinhwan could almost feel his touch. One slight move and they'd be holding hands. 

“You know,” Jinhwan said, maybe partly fueled by liquid courage, “you need to let it go. It was one night. It isn't going to happen again.” He refused the refill that the bartender was offering but Mr. Koo waved his hand and the bartender poured him another. 

Mr. Koo waited until the bartender left, leaning in closer to Jinhwan, his lips against Jinhwan's ear. “Oh, but how could I forget the way you taste, the way you said my name, the way you felt, and the way you came?” Mr. Koo whispered, his voice sultry and deep. It was almost the same way how Mr. Koo had gotten Jinhwan into bed the last time, that voice, seductive with sweet words, and Jinhwan shivered. 

Jinhwan turned his head, immediately realizing it was the wrong move, as Mr. Koo’s lips were very much within kissing distance. He didn't need to exert much effort, and for a split second, Jinhwan considered it. Here was a man, dangling himself in front of him, someone who  _ wants  _ him— 

“Sorry,” Jinhwan said, getting his senses at the last millisecond, just before their lips would touch. He toppled back, his bar stool dropping to the floor in a loud crash, getting looks from the few people in the bar. 

And then he ran. 

*******

“So, we weren’t fine.” 

Donghyuk held out his hand towards Jinhwan, pulling him up to stand, but Jinhwan was much too inebriated to trust his legs, so he sat back down. He found Jinhwan sitting on a bench at the park a few blocks from the bar, counting his fingers with his head bowed. After running away from Junhoe, he had called Donghyuk, not trusting himself to actually get home safely in this state.

Donghyuk kept him talking on the line while he drove to the park, as Jinhwan muttered something about Mr. Koo, Jiwon, and Donghyuk, with the last name coming up multiple times during the mumbling. 

_ Mr. Koo?  _ Donghyuk thought.  _ What in the world does Mr. Koo have to do with this?  _

Jinhwan managed to get a hold of Donghyuk’s arm, and he pulled Donghyuk to sit down next to him on the bench, close enough that he could lean his head on Donghyuk’s shoulders. 

“ _ Nope! _ ” Jinhwan said, his voice one note higher. One hand came up, his forefinger making a motion of  _ no, no  _ in the air. “I— _ hic— _ I am not fine, Donghyuk— _ hic _ —honey.” 

Jinhwan giggled, almost amused at himself for the hiccuping sounds he was making, and Donghyuk groaned. He had known Jinhwan to be straight as an arrow, and in any of the company events, he had only seen him finishing a couple of bottles of beer and nothing else. 

This was the most drunk he had seen Jinhwan in the two years he had known him. 

“Aigoo, Jinani. What did you do?” Donghyuk said, reaching for the hand that Jinhwan had up and holding it instead. He wanted to get angry at his boyfriend but his concern and worry were bigger. He sighed, resting his hand on Jinhwan’s thigh. Jinhwan turned it, palm facing up, and started to poke Donghyuk’s palm. 

“Whiskey,” Jinhwan said, almost smugly. “Almost did Mr. Koo again, too, but no, no, no, no, no… I remembered I have you.” 

That made Donghyuk pull back, much to the annoyance of his drunk boyfriend. Jinhwan was tugging him back, wanting to make him a pillow, but Donghyuk maintained the distance. 

“Kim Jinhwan,” he said slowly, “what  _ exactly  _ do you mean by ‘almost did Mr. Koo again, too’?” 

Donghyuk watched as Jinhwan hiccuped three more times and struggled to find his focus. With hooded eyes and words almost slurring, Jinhwan said, “I need to tell you shomthing.” 

“Sure you do,” Donghyuk said, sighing heavily. 

“Mr. Koo… bar,” Jinhwan said. “One night… before.”

Jinhwan’s words didn’t make sense to him, and he didn’t trust a drunk Jinhwan to provide him with the answers that he wanted. So he stood up, hooked Jinhwan’s arm over his shoulder, and pulled him up to stand. He was thankful he had just parked his car a few feet in front of the bench where Jinhwan sat, because Jinhwan was as good as dead weight now, unable to walk by himself. 

Donghyuk was breathless when he reached his car, depositing Jinhwan on the backseat, strapping the seatbelt in a rather weird angle just enough for Jinhwan not to fall while he drove them to his house. He went around the car, taking the driver’s seat, locking his seatbelt with a loud  _ click _ . 

He was about to start the car when he heard Jinhwan mumble. “ _ Love… Donghyuk. _ ” 

Donghyuk, able to fill in the missing words, grunted in frustration. “You say that again to me when you’re sober and I’ll believe it. I refuse to accept that the first time you tell me you love me, you’re drunk,” he said, and then he started the car. 

*******

“Yes. Give me another call after lunch.” 

Jinhwan woke up, his head throbbing, throat parched, and in a rather familiar-looking room. He opened his eyes by a peek and immediately regretted it, the sunlight much too blinding. He turned away from the window, aiming to cover his head with a pillow, only to stop when he saw the glass of water and some aspirin by the bedside table. 

“Donghyuk?” he called out, his voice hoarse. He has a very vague recollection of calling Donghyuk last night after running away from Mr. Koo. 

He heard footsteps as they approached the room, and he looked up, expectant. 

Donghyuk’s face was blank when he walked into the room, sitting on the edge of the bed. He took the glass of water and aspirin, and wordlessly motioned for Jinhwan to drink. Jinhwan followed, popping the pill and finishing the glass of water, and then Donghyuk stood up, walking around and pulling the drapes shut. 

Jinhwan sighed, thankful for what Donghyuk just did. “What time is it?” he asked, and Donghyuk smirked. 

“Almost noon.” 

Jinhwan ran his fingers through his hair, and it was only then did he realize that Donghyuk also cleaned him up and changed his clothes. “Shit.”

Jinhwan sat up with a groan, leaning against the headboard, his head still heavy. Donghyuk sat next to him, saying, “I already told them you're sick and I’m working from home.”

“I’m sorry, Donghyuk,” Jinhwan said, his voice full of remorse. 

“Let's set things straight, okay?” Donghyuk said, clasping his hands together. “In this relationship, when we apologize, you have to be specific on what you are sorry for. So start, Kim Jinhwan. I think you have quite a number of stuff to list down.” 

Jinhwan groaned. Before he could speak, his tummy let out a loud grumble, and Donghyuk was out the door in the next second. He heard some clangs and a bit of banging, and when Donghyuk came back a few minutes later, he was carrying a tray with a couple of bowls on it. It vaguely smelled of ramyeon and eggs, and his tummy grumbled even louder. 

“Eat.” 

Donghyuk pushed the tray towards him after taking one of the bowls, and they were silent as they ate, only the sounds of slurping and chewing could be heard. Jinhwan watched Donghyuk carefully as he tried to piece last night’s events in his head, wondering where to start his apology. 

“Thank you,” Jinhwan said, when he finished, setting the bowl back on the tray. He gave an appreciative burp, and he was thankful that the burp has placed a ghost of a smile on Donghyuk's face. He was about to clear the tray but Donghyuk was quicker, and he waited for Donghyuk to come back. 

“Come here,” Jinhwan said when Donghyuk returned, tapping the space next to him on the bed. Donghyuk crawled on the bed, settling beside him. He took his boyfriend’s hand and was thankful Donghyuk didn't pull away. This time, it was Donghyuk who leaned his head on Jinhwan's shoulder. 

“I can count three things I should be sorry for, so if I miss out anything, you have to tell me,” Jinhwan began, and he felt Donghyuk nod. 

“I am sorry for causing this entire thing, for calling you when I am drunk and making you take care of me,” Jinhwan said, and Donghyuk sighed. 

“Normally it would be perfectly fine with me to take care of you, because that is one of the many things I am here for, specifically for you,” Donghyuk said. “But the circumstances that led you to this, I am probably not fine with?”

“I know, and that is when we go to the second thing I am sorry for,” Jinhwan answered, giving Donghyuk's hand a squeeze. “I lied, and I am sorry for that. When I saw how much you got affected by the box of letters from Jiwon, so many questions ran through my mind, and none of which told me I was fine.” 

Donghyuk sat up quickly, facing Jinhwan. “Then the least you could've done was to tell me instead of going to a bar and drinking!” he said, a flash of anger in his eyes. 

“I know,” Jinhwan said patiently, taking both of Donghyuk's hands in his. “I am not invalidating whatever you felt with the letters, and I am thankful you showed your emotions to me.” 

“But…?” 

“But it hurt?” Jinhwan said, an uneasy smile on his face. “It hurt,” he repeated, more sure this time, and then shrugged. “I am here and we’re trying to build something, to make something, together. But the way you looked that day… I wondered if I am just filling in a spot left by Jiwon, if you’d ever love me in that way, or if… I would be enough… for you.” 

“Oh honey,” Donghyuk said softly, shaking his head. “Jinani, I am sorry if you felt those things.” It was Donghyuk's turn to squeeze Jinhwan’s hands. “I—I have zero excuses about the letters. It really felt weird and sad seeing them. I was wrapped around the future that Jiwon and I should've had, and didn't see the one that I'm starting with you.” 

Donghyuk dropped his head so that he could see Jinhwan's eyes. “You're not filling in Jiwon’s spot or any spot for that matter. You’re in your place in my life as my partner, my lover, my boyfriend, and an advocate for me at work. And honey, if anything, you would know that in whatever I do, I go all out,” he said, and Jinhwan nodded, seeing how passionate Donghyuk was at work or in any project he was assigned to. “And that’s how I am, too, in love, whoever it is that I am with. It’s you, now.”

Donghyuk removed one of his hands from Jinhwan's, cupping Jinhwan's face in his hand. “It’s you, okay? And you are more than enough for me,” he whispered, and Jinhwan let out a soft sigh. He saw fear in Jinhwan's eyes, and he wasn't sure how he could relieve that fear. 

“I know these are just words for now—” Donghyuk started, but Jinhwan shook his head. 

“It's okay. We have time,” Jinhwan said softly, moving his hand on top of Donghyuk's, the hand that was holding his face. “But Donghyuk-ah, are you sure? You're ready for this? For us?” 

Donghyuk pulled Jinhwan closer, pressing his lips on the corner of Jinhwan’s. “Yes,” he breathed. 

“Okay,” Jinhwan said, and he stole a quick kiss from Donghyuk before pulling back totally. Donghyuk smiled, but that smile faded when he saw the serious look on Jinhwan's face. 

“Third,” Jinhwan said, his face dark. “I am sorry because I didn't tell you about Mr. Koo.” 

“Yeah, what was  _ that _ ?” Donghyuk said, confused.”Last night you said—and I quote—‘I almost did Mr. Koo again, too.’” Jinhwan winced. “Jinani, did you and Mr. Koo—”

“Yes,” Jinhwan cut in. “One night stand, three years ago.” 

“Oh.”

“Yes,” Jinhwan said, running his hand through his hair again, distraught in his face. “He wanted more out of it, but I told him that I don't date officemates.” 

“But… me?” Donghyuk said, pointing at himself.

“That was exactly his point, when you left his office the day we told him,” Jinhwan said, shaking his head. “He told me he thought I didn't mix work with pleasure…” Jinhwan’s voice trailed, as he shivered. He looked up at Donghyuk. “It was one night of weakness, Donghyuk. Three years ago. Nothing else.” 

Donghyuk drew back and stood up, his face unreadable. “Give me a minute. I need to absorb this.” 

“Okay,” Jinhwan said, and he watched as Donghyuk was wrapped in his thoughts, pacing. 

“Donghyuk?” Jinhwan prompted, when the silence stretched longer than he could bear. “That night didn't mean anything to me,” he added when Donghyuk didn't speak. 

“He was at the bar?” Donghyuk said quietly. 

“Yes,” Jinhwan replied. “He tried to kiss me—” 

“That night didn't mean anything to you but evidently it meant something to him, Jinani, if he still attempted to do that,” Donghyuk said instead. 

Jinhwan sighed, standing as well. “I know,” he said. He grabbed Donghyuk by the shoulders so that he would be still. “I don't like him, okay? Not in the way that I like you.” 

Donghyuk nodded. “I know that. You said it earlier, and I believe you,” he replied, and Jinhwan felt both relief and remorse at how Donghyuk was trusting him completely. “But what are we going to do now?” 

Jinhwan shrugged. “After the meeting in his office a few weeks back, I...started to look for new job posts. I like what I do and I like where I am, but I crossed the line when I slept with our CEO before. I didn't think he would be hung up about it—”

“He hasn't threatened you or anything about work, right?”

“No, no, no. No,” Jinhwan said. “Nothing of that sort. Never bribed me about better compensation or promote me if we continued anything. Nor did he lash out after I said no. He has remained professional towards me ever since I said I don't want anything further from that night.” 

“Until I came into the picture.” 

Jinhwan exhaled loudly, his head throbbing again. “Yes.” He shook his head. “Let's play it by ear. I don't think Mr. Koo is the type to fire me or demote me for turning him down.  _ Again _ .”

Donghyuk shook his head. “It’s awkward, though.” 

“It is,” Jinhwan said with a sigh. 

“You and Mr. Koo… Anyone else I should watch out for it the office?” 

Jinhwan smirked, letting out a dry laugh. “After Mr. Koo, I dated outside of the office, if I ever did go out.” 

“Okay.”

“I am sorry,” Jinhwan said again. “Those are the three things I am sorry for.”

Donghyuk's eyes narrowed at him. “There’s a fourth.” 

“ _ What _ ?!” Jinhwan asked, surprised. “What else did I do?” 

Donghyuk placed his hands on Jinhwan's shoulders, a small smile on his face. “You should apologize that the first time you told me you love me was during a drunken haze,” he said, and Jinhwan mouth dropped in disbelief. 

When he recovered, Jinhwan said, “That ranks high up there as saying you love someone during the throes of sex, or after orgasm.”

“Doesn't count,” Donghyuk confirmed. 

“Yup, doesn't count,” Jinhwan agreed. He pulled Donghyuk closer by tugging at his boyfriend’s waist. “Then let me correct it,” he started, and he gazed into Donghyuk’s bright and expectant eyes. 

“I love you, Kim Donghyuk,” Jinhwan said, tapping Donghyuk's nose with his finger. “Only you.” 

“Good,” Donghyuk replied, leaning forward, brushing his nose against Jinhwan's in a soft and slow motion. “Because I love you, too, Kim Jinhwan.” 

Jinhwan smiled a small smile, and then swooped in, capturing Donghyuk’s lips in his. He tasted of ramyeon and mint, and playfully he backed them to the bed, and they fell onto the bed, Donghyuk laughing into the kiss. 

“Jinani!” he yelped when Jinhwan fell on top of Donghyuk. “I have a call after lunch—” 

“Your phone isn't ringing yet,” Jinhwan said, showering Donghyuk's face and neck with kisses. Initially Donghyuk tried to fight the kisses but Jinhwan wore him down, and he laid there, waiting for Jinhwan to find his lips again. 

When it was apparent Jinhwan’s mission was to tease him, he grabbed Jinhwan by his shirt’s collar, his lips finding Jinhwan’s in an urgent and deep kiss. He moved, rearranging them so that he was sitting up and Jinhwan was straddling him, multitasking during the kiss. Jinhwan wrapped him in an embrace as he responded, allowing Donghyuk entry to his mouth and their tongues danced together.

“Are you kidding me?” Jinhwan groaned when Donghyuk's phone, which was in the study room, rang. “Don't answer,” he said, tugging at Donghyuk's shirt, aiming to pull it off.

But Donghyuk laughed, shaking his head, resting his hands on Jinhwan's hips. “My boss would get mad,” he explained, kissing Jinhwan on the nose.

“I am your boss,” Jinhwan reminded him, searching for Donghyuk's lips again, and Donghyuk grinned. 

“As of today, not anymore.” 

That made Jinhwan pull back. “Eh?” 

Donghyuk's phone was persistently ringing, so he lifted Jinhwan easily off of him and set him on the bed. “You cleared me last week from the project, remember? That concludes the transition period,” he said, before disappearing into the study room. When Donghyuk went back, he had his phone in his hand, the screen still showing that someone was reaching him but the rings have been muted. 

“I need to take this call,” Donghyuk said, giving Jinhwan a quick kiss before exiting the room. 

“You need to make it up to me later!” he yelled just before he heard Donghyuk greet the person on the other line with hello. He thought Donghyuk didn't hear him, so he went back to bed, sliding under the sheets.

But Donghyuk came back, a sheet of paper in hand, showing it to Jinhwan, making Jinhwan grin widely. 

The words?

_ Mind-blowing and earth-shattering sex later, I promise. ;) _

**Author's Note:**

> Feelings and feedback?   
> Comment here, or find me at:   
> -Twitter: @kecachata  
> -CuriousCat: https://curiouscat.me/kecachata


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